Hardeep Matharu

Hardeep Matharu is an independent, London-based journalist, writer and researcher.

In her Byline column, she aims to investigate the consequences of the prisons crisis, look at possible solutions, and explore how we can have a wider debate about the role of criminal justice in society.

Hardeep started her career at the Epsom Guardian newspaper, where she was named the 2012 Trainee Feature Writer of the Year by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). She went on to work as a news reporter at The Independent before turning freelance in 2016.

She is currently commissioned as a senior writer and researcher at the drugs policy think tank Volteface, for which she writes on drugs, criminal justice and social affairs.

As chief reporter at the Epsom Guardian, her work covering local MP and then Justice Secretary Chris Grayling's reforms of the justice system attracted praise from campaigners and charities.

Her coverage included going inside High Down prison - one of the very few journalists to be given access to a jail at that time - and the criminal trial of 11 of its inmates charged with prison mutiny following a riot over deteriorating conditions. Her reporting culminated in a wide-ranging interview with the Chief Inspector of Prisons.

Hardeep holds the NCTJ’s Multimedia Diploma in Journalism, its ‘senior’ examination, the National Qualification in Journalism (NQJ), and is a NUJ freelance member.

She holds a 2.1 B.A. (Hons) degree in Law from the University of Cambridge.